ABOUT

Welcome to our blog in which we hope to keep you informed about the goings on at West Dorset Leisure Holidays and our 5 Holiday Parks – Highlands End, Golden Cap, Graston Copse, Larkfield and Sandyholme.

Each of our Dorset campsites offers something different. All are based in unique locations around the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast, with a range of accommodation to choose from and Holiday Homes for Sale.

WDLH BLOG

The goings on at West Dorset Leisure Holidays.

ABOUT

Welcome to our blog in which we hope to keep you informed about the goings on at West Dorset Leisure Holidays and our 5 Holiday Parks – Highlands End, Golden Cap, Graston Copse, Larkfield and Sandyholme.

Each of our Dorset campsites offers something different. All are based in unique locations around the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast, with a range of accommodation to choose from and Holiday Homes for Sale.

FRIENDS

Decades of family memories at Highlands End

It has been a while since our last blog post and we hope to soon update you with the winter work the teams are getting on with. The parks are still open and we are enjoying a busy half term week while the owners can enjoy another 4-5 weeks on the parks with the season dates 1st March to 30th November. We spoke recently to Jennifer and Robert Crockford who are Caravan Holiday Home Owners at Highlands End to get a flavour of what’s attracted them to West Dorset and Holiday Home Ownership…

Jennifer and Robert Crockford at Highlands End Holiday Park

Jennifer’s parents first came to Highlands End Farm in 1959, as it was just the place for a static caravan – well before they were known as ‘holiday homes’! Eype was a hidden gem, with its ‘secret’ valley and secluded beach set in beautiful countryside. The nearby unspoilt town of Bridport was a further bonus.

Since then Jennifer and, soon after, her husband Robert have kept up their family tradition at Highlands End, a ‘top spot’ for their children and grandchildren. The whole family loves the scenery, the wildlife, the beaches, the many walks and Bridport itself with its markets and shops close at hand.

Years ago, park facilities were fairly basic – no electricity, no running water – just gas lighting; the caravans were small – but for Jennifer and Robert this was all part of the fun. Since then there has been a steady growth both in the quality of the caravans and in the amenities on park and there is so much for the family to do safely in and around the park – shop and coffee shop, bar, restaurant, swimming pool, laundry, fitness suite, tennis court, pitch and putt. play areas, etc. Martin and Vanessa Cox achieved all this whilst protecting wildlife and raising environmental standards generally.

Highlands End lies on the Jurassic Coast and Robert has always encouraged his family to look for fossils and interesting rock formations – starting with Eype Beach. Meanwhile Jennifer finds that the Bridport area has so much to offer in local arts, crafts,. books, antiques and agricultural history. In fact right next to Highlands End is Eype Church, now also a popular ‘Centre for the Arts’ –and source of many pictures in the Crockford home.

However, there is one other aspect of Bridport which Jennifer and Robert enjoy and foresaw many years ago. It is now one of Britain’s ‘hot spots’ for the best local produce, food, drink and restaurants. They have rather a long list of personal favourites but suggest that the annual Bridport Food and Beer Festival in June is a good place for starters! They do add that over the years they have eaten well at what is now “Martin’s Bar and Restaurant” on the park; theverylocal specials are always a favourite!

Finally, they say that the ‘star feature’ of their van is THE VIEW! They would be very rich if they had a pound for every visitor who exclaimed WOW! on looking out from their picture window. Where else is there a panorama from Lyme Bay, National Trust land, Eype Down, Colmer’s Hill, the Marshwood Vale and back round to Eype Church, in an ever changing land and seascape?